The Pale Shinigami
by CrazedSkeleton
Summary: The balance between Soul Reaper and Hollow is jeopardized as the battle escalates on third kingdom soil. The charred council sends the only available Horseman, Death, to restore the order. The quest begins, as the pale rider crosses the Seireitei and Las Noches alike to deliver a message; fear the end, for it shall be on your hands.
1. 1-The Skull Masked Warrior

_Earth. A simple world, nay, a nearly unnoticeable world in the vast web-work of realities. In truth, the first stream of light illuminated nothing but hellscape, and a spitting image of the inferno. The charred planet was silent, and it's fate to remain a shattered sphere of molten rocks seemed absolute. But of course, nothing is truly set in the bigger picture. Miracles happen, and one of the greatest graced the void._

_The realms adjacent were unimaginable places of spirits and endless night. Within existed beings on par with the power of the angels and demons beyond. Through some inexplicable chance, perhaps intervention by some bored omnipotent (we shall never know) these worlds connected to earth. The event was cataclysmic and nearly obliterated the young Gaia. But from the twisting chaos of pitch black rose what would become Humanity._

_These worlds would one day be known as the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo. Which since touching on the battlefield of earth were stuck in an infernal war. The souls of humans began to emerge on either side, quickly discovering the unique powers that came after death._

_And little changed past that day. To the moment in which we find ourselves, the world of the Hollows growing stronger, and the ranks of the high class shinigami being bolstered. It is in as much turmoil as that moment the primordial hollows encountered the formless spirits on the third kingdom soil._

_To that point there had been no outside interference. Souls destroyed in the war were sent to Hell or the Land of the Dead, but that was all for a four solid millenia. And miraculously the balance remained steady._

_That was...until._

* * *

Death arose from shadow, very little distinguished where darkness ended and where his huge form began. The Nephilim had been dealing with minor business when the word of the council reached him and ordered his return. He stood, unwilling to deliver any respect to the ancient beings.

The faces mumbled amongst themselves, when the third head finally took notice of their servant. All such discussion ceased as they looked over the horseman.

"Death, your work is finished?"

"As finished as it will be it seems. What dire circumstance needs my attention now?

The left began first, "Trouble brews within the third kingdom, and it's neighbors. You are aware of the situation? That the world is not only the ground in which heaven and hell fight relentlessly, but acts as a secret battlefield for two other worlds?"

"So I've heard. The Soul Society and Hollow World, both overlooked by the major powers since contact would violate the agreements." Death responded whilst remembering the one time centuries ago that he had traversed the eternal desert of Hueco Mundo to track down an artifact.

"They overstep their bounds Horseman. Their war has in the third kingdom is building to a climax, the last century has had many major conflicts between the two spirit worlds, one of which destroyed a city in the human realm. They threaten the balance, their actions could hasten and prolong the effects of Armageddon. You must do what you can to restore order Death, this matter takes priority over all others."

Death's eyes blazed, "but such work is not suited to the reaper! Is this not within the jurisdiction of War?"

The center head roared with fire in response, "You are the only Horseman who has heeded our summons with haste! Death, this issue cannot wait for any of your siblings to make their way here. Besides, I'm sure that your methods can be employed to...even the playing field."

Death grumbled, "what would you have me do then?"

A piece of parchment flared into existence at his feet, detailing the location he would first investigate. Following it were his instructions;"Deliver a message to those in power, tell them of the great fall that they will trigger. If they are reluctant or hostile, then you may thin their numbers until their fighting becomes manageable. That being said, it would be preferable if it could be solved with minimal damage."

"Another thing Horseman, these enemies are not unlike angels and demons. But they are neither, so be wary, for some things in these realms are mystery even to us."

The rider turned away silently, truly displeased with the assignment. But there was no other choice than to obey. The heads had already returned to other matters, leaving Death to make his own way out through the twisting purple portal he had arrived in.

* * *

His arrival on Earth was not significant. A small shooting star that fell without notice into the forest of the island nation. A subtle entrance, the less who knew he had returned, the easier working would become. He always thought this method of moving between the worlds was somewhat dramatic

"It seems we are slightly off. This city of Karakura lies north from here." Death said emerging from the place of impact while observing his maps.

Death had donned a hooded cloak, making his appearance quite close to descriptions of human myth. Back in the days when humans still used blade over bullet, and king over prime minister, his clothing would have blended far easier.

He rose his hand, and the ground shifted in a murky green smoke. Hoofs sounded like thunder as the rotting carcass of a mighty pale steed burst from the ground in ghastly reanimation. Despair the grim horse, truly befitting the reaper. It would likely be the only time he could ride during this mission, and he was intent on enjoying it. Death pocketed his maps and threw himself onto the saddle. He breathed the air in, cycling it through his lungs, tasting as it had the last time he had tread on the home of man.

He peered into the northern sky; a feeling of foreboding emulated from it. There were no stars over the Japanese town, only patches of darkness. And something seemed to be crawling from that darkness. Hollows, he had not seen a great many of the beasts even when in Hueco Mundo, but what he had seen fell as easily as other abominations he faced.

"A skirmish? I could not ask for better timing." He cracked the reigns, and his horse made an unearthly growl as it accelerated through the trees in a blur of green fire.


	2. 2-The Part Time Reaper

**(Hello reader! Couple quick notes: this chronologically is before Bleach's Vandenreich arc and right after the Fullbringer arc. Death's time I'm trying to determine, as I'd like him to have items and knowledge from Darksiders 2, but of course I'd then have to figure out a host of continuity problems. Do enjoy this much longer chapter, as that prologue really wasn't much even with the editing)**

The night streets of Karakura was quickly becoming a warzone. Dozens of hollows were rampaging through the city, and they possessed utterly insatiable hunger. A large evacuation under the pretense of 'unexplained seismic activity' left a good portion of the city deserted.

Shinigami reinforcements had been sent to assist the current group assigned to Karakura town. They consisted primarily of soldiers from 11th company, renowned as the most bloodthirsty of the Gotei 13. Senkaimon portals opened opposite the Garganta the hollows crawled from, giving the sky a curious contrast of blinding Reishi and chasms of nothingness.

For almost a half hour, the Karakura group had been holding back the flood. They amazingly were comprised of only five individuals, three of which weren't even Shinigami, or even in their second decade of life.

This group had bested some of the most powerful beings in both Soul Society and Hueco Mundo. Hollow overlords, and division captains had both learned to not underestimate the superhuman teenagers. Especially substitute shinigami Ichigo Kurosaki, a human that acted as a part time soul reaper. His name was hard not to hear in the spirit realms, as his notoriety for tearing through the ranks of the Seireitei and Las Noches to save his friends bordered on legendary status.

None of these hollows, even in their great swarms, could bring the orange haired warrior down. He raced across massive buildings to face the masses with what looked like an oversized combat knife. His Zanpakutō, called Zangestsu was an enormous two handed blade that had taken many forms over the years. This version retained the size of it's previous state (back then it looked a bit like an oversized butcher's knife) being almost two meters long, however it's cutting edged came down past his hand as a sot of guard, and the point then arced back into the blade like a hook.

"Damn! Do they never end?" Ichigo hissed as that blade slid through the throat of a snakelike hollow.

"What? You getting worn out?" Grinned his short black haired partner Rukia, who's elegant white Zanpakutō cast a spire of ice, ensnaring three hollows in it's freezing grip.

"Yeah right, this is just a nuisance. I have a big test tomorrow, and I need to get some rest."

A stampede of average sized hollows plowed through the street below. Before they made to the intersection, a hail of blue bolts halted their advance, and a bullet of white light punched through an entire row of the invaders.

"Kurosaki, you're slipping!" Quipped a white robed individual on the opposite rooftop who adjusted his glasses with a smirk.

"Whatever Uryu-" he growled, forced to stop his insult half way to yell the command for his blade's signature attack; "Getsuga TENSHOU!"

A spinning crescent of empyrean energy roared forth and obliterated a group of enemies that were baring down on him. He grinned, an eyebrow to the Quincy hollow hunter.

"Ichigo, it sounds like soul society's reinforcements are here." Hollered Yasutora Sado, a human classmate of Ichigo's who had developed his own spiritual powers called a Fullbring.

"About time too!"

"EH?" Roared a regrettably familiar voice behind him, "you sayin' we have bad timing strawberry boy?"

Ichigo turned suddenly to the bald spear wielding man who marched out of his senkaimon with a murderous smile. The third seat of the 11th company, Ikkaku Madrame.

"Your call," 'strawberry' replied, "you've been missing the fun."

"That so? Looks like we need to make up for being fashionably late!"

The new shinigami charged into the fray like berserkers. They slashed madly with crazed war cries against the flood of hollows that built up against them. It was a truly blood-boiling spectacle as battered warriors traded blows with hollows five times their size.

Ichigo decided to jump back to ground level, as Ikkaku and his crew promised to have the skies locked down. He descended blade first, embedding it to the hilt in the mask of a larger hollow bleeding profusely from Uryu's arrows. Rukia followed, creating another ice pillar beneath the packs.

"How nice of you to scavenge wounded prey like a hyena, Kurosaki." Said quincy remarked, blasting away with his one handed bow without even needing to look at his targets.

"Ha. Well I guess I just felt like you needed some help since you're struggling to keep pace." He quipped back.

"Ichigo, we're needed elsewhere! Two Menos Grande have already been spotted, and more are sure to come!" Rukia urged, pointing her blade in the vague direction of the giant hollows.

"_Tch_, looks like this only going to get worse. Uryu, can I assume that you know what you're doing, or should I walk you back through this?"

His rival was about to turn that insult back around, when suddenly both perceived a change in the air. Almost like the time Aizen had walked those streets. A shockwave followed the premonition like the crack of thunder. immense spiritual pressure rushed over everyone, invoking a tremor that shattered windows and heralded the arrival of another player to the battle. Even as strong as he was, Sado was almost knocked off his feet.

"What the hell..." Ichigo mouthed.

"I've never felt something like that before. It literally choked me for a second." Ishida replied, eyes turned southeast to the drumbeat of the crushing Reiatsu.

"Whatever it is, it's heading straight for the Menos." Rukia said raising her blade instinctively to a guarding position.

Chad was silent as he snapped the neck of a reeling hollow. Many of those stragglers who they had not killed were fleeing from the area, becoming another problem they would have to root out later. Not that this inconvenience was on the mind of anyone in that street. They weren't sure if they should meet this unknown visitor, or let him come to them.

The sound of hoofs beating against the ground came long before anything else. Far ahead a Menos lumbered forward like an awkward penguin. The clacking of hooves faded as a hue of green enveloped the hollow's lower body, and it began to charge a cero at something atop the parking garage beside it. Before the beam could even leave it's mouth, a whirl of violet shot upwards and destroyed it's gargantuan mask, piercing it's head and spiraling out the other side.

"That Reiatsu, is it someone from 11th division?" Rukia asked, knowing that their captain's pressure had done the same thing on their first meeting.

"It doesn't feel like a soul reaper, and I've never seen spiritual pressure incite such dread into hollows." Sado said with an unsurprising calmness.

Ichigo gripped his blade in anticipation. Ishida nervously raised his bow slightly higher. The tint of green shown on the walls down the street, and following it was the lightsource. His horse was mass of green fire and bone, whinnying a decaying whistle as it's cloaked rider cracked the reigns with one of his hands. His other gauntlet covered claw gripped a long scythe which radiated that purple reiatsu. He held the massive weapon with no issue, and swung it down with extraordinary balance in an execution of a wayward hollow in his path. As he approached even closer, they could see his infamous skull mask, and the orange glow of his eyes.

And he saw them, and seemed to recognize their strength. He stopped half a block away, jumping from his horse as it burst into a cloud of putrid green mist. His scythe suddenly split away turning to a pair of smaller scythes that he twirled in each hand. He looked upon each of them, and was amused with their response.

"Truly priceless. So, who here shall face me?"


	3. 3-Meet the End Before it Comes

Ichigo's mind was brimming with questions. What was this thing that emanated terror into the hearts of those around it; that captain like power that could crush Gillians.

_He has a mask, so is he a hollow? Toshiro did say that Vasto Lorde looked more humanoid than the Adjuchas. But even so..._

The creature cracked his neck, and narrowed his eyes at the orange haired one.

"Come on then. Surely you're not frightened 'shinigami'?"

Ichigo scowled, but amazingly held his ground. The rider sighed and continued to toss his left scythe up and down. He really had no concept of patience.

Rukia stepped forth and looked the horseman dead in eye, "you may be Vasto Lorde, but I doubt you could take all of us. Don't get cocky."

"What? A vasto lorde? You mistake me for one of those abominations?" The pale rider shook his head.

"Then what are you? Shinagmi? A fullbringer?" She asked, as the group took battle positions.

The rider couldn't suppress a chuckle, "for someone who's seen the afterlife, you are surprisingly narrow minded. I am none of those."

Rukia and Ichigo were completely at a loss. Ichigo actually just assumed the thing was another overly arrogant hollow (much like the espada that had been destroyed last year) and elevated himself above the others in Hueco Mundo. Once again, there was silence as the teens (not including Rukia) continued to study their adversary, completely puzzled. But Ishida did remember something. It came to him as he stared at the mask of the warrior; a memory of an illustration. It was above a passage he had read years ago with his Grandfather; "Look and behold a pale horse...and hades followed him. That can't be!" He said as the ride's impossible identity hit him.

"Ah, so you do know of me priest." Death said, turning to Ishida.

"You claim to be the fourth horseman of the Apocalypse?" Chad asked, clutching his white arm; the arm of the devil, as the name came to him.

"I am Death. I seek your leaders within the Seireitei."

Rukia looked bewildered and Ichigo scoffed.

"That's insane!" But seeing the face of his partner did give him doubts, "tell me that's not possible Rukia. I mean, there aren't really four horesmen are there?"

"I...wouldn't know." The small soul reaper swallowed.

Death groaned irritably, "Enough talk. You've lost your chance for the first strike."

Everyone braced quickly as the rider burst forward in at shunpo speeds, swiping at the nearest enemy. Ichigo's enormous blade took brunt of the teleporting slash, but it sent him skidding backwards. Rukia and Ishida did their unique forms of the flash step to make enough distance for their ranged combat. Chad of course had no alternative but to attack, punching with his left fist while guarding with his massive shield of a forearm.

The punch scattered sparks as it careened off Death's right scythe, and his wrist became locked in the angle between the blade and handle of the tool. Death stuck with his free short-scythe, but upon impacting Sado's harder-than-steel skin the recoil from his own strike knocked him down on one knee.

Ichigo had already returned, swinging his giant blade down into the kneeling death, who caught the blade between both of his like a massive claw.

"What is your mission here?" Ichigo asked, pushing his face mere centimeters from the rider's mask..

"To restore the balance, which means eliminating an excess."

Death pulled the weight of Zangetsu toward him, kicking back and driving his spiked greaves right into Ichigo's chest as he braced against the ground with his back. Ichigo cried out in agony as something in his ribcage made a snapping sound. His force dropped and he was thrown upwards like a ragdoll. Death rolled backwards onto his feet, then flipped away again as the ground suddenly trembled, and a tower of frost erupted upwards, nearly engulfing the rider.

Finding such terrain changes a hindrance in the battlefield, Death switched off to another weapon in his vast arsenal. It materialized in a burst of violet mist, replacing the scythes in his hands was now an utterly ridiculously proportioned warhammer. It wasn't extraordinary other than being about three meters tall, just a long metal staff connected to a blunt square of black rock at the end.

He drew the hammer back, and a seal of purple energy appeared above it's head. Death released a warcry as he spun the hammer around his body, building centrifugal force in addition to the magic that was also propelling it. He rose it up the second time around, and struck down on the ice cage. The strike resonated across the entire pillar, blistering heat also working to his advantage. The great tower fell as a mass of slush, raining over the block.

Through it flew a flurry of blue arrows from Ishida, peppering the ground with condensed reshi. Two arrows struck death, shredding his cowl and imbedding in the massive muscles in his chest. Death ripped the tattered remains of the cloak, arrows with them and threw hem to the ground.

"Been hitting the weights a bit too much?" Ichigo taunted as he saw the rider's physique in full.

"Do I sense envy Kurosaki?" Ishida smirked in return.

"I don't know 'twig for arms'. Maybe you've found a new personal trainer." He replied as he flash stepped to his opponent.

Death switched back to his Scythes, and began parrying the surprisingly quick strikes Ichigo threw out.

"For a human you have impressive strength." Death mused, as the pace of each attack began to increase.

Ichigo actually smiled at this. Wasn't everyday the Grim reaper gave you a backhanded compliment. Amidst there battle, Ikkaku had flash stepped to Rukia who was trying to find a way to attack without getting dodged.

"We've got trouble." He began as Rukia continued with her immensely difficult task.

"You don't say." She nodded to the whirlwind of blows Death and Ichigo were trading.

"What the hell...fill me in later, we've got another problem. There's been a major incursion into Soul Society. We're being recalled."

"What about the hollows here?"

"The Captain Commander has ordered _**his**_ mobilization." Ikkaku said.

Rukia only knew of one person who could be referred to in such a way.

"You're joking? This city couldn't take Zaraki, Ichigo, and whatever that thing he's fighting."

"Uno Vasto Lorde? The captains have decided it's too dangerous to let this continue, you guys need to keep the hollows down until he gets here. Good luck keeping him from killing Ichigo though." He grinned before vanishing away with the rest of his comrades.

"Dammit all!" She sighed, yelling over to Ishida, who was shooting intermittently at Death when he and Ichigo separated, "Ishida, Chad, we have to leave this to Ichigo. We're back on hollow duty."

The two were reluctant to leave, but complied without saying anything. Ichigo couldn't have been happier by this turn of events.

"We can finally fight without worrying about interference."

"Indeed, which, let me guess, allows you fight all out?" Death had heard the story before.

"Well, not quite. But it does free me up to do this; **BAN-KAI**!"


	4. 4-The Rising Tide

The commanding words were followed by a spectacular tornado of azure light and steam that raged wildly. Death put up his hand to shield from the blistering sun-like reiatsu within. The transformation lasted only a moment before the whole storm slowed and dissipated. What stood before Death now was like a whole different person. Ichigo's orange hair was really the only thing that had stayed, as his garb had changed entirely, now consisting of a black longcoat with tattered tails and white lining, and a low cut undershirt beneath that. A cross motif seemed present across his new clothes, forming straps over his chest and forearms.

Most fascinating was his odd new blade. It was a black longsword a little under two meters, and it had three spiked points right below the tip on the back side. The guard on his blade was made up of three long prongs that came out at right angles. Finally, the bottom of the hilt had a long chain that was bound to his right glove.

The energy he exerted was intense, vastly more so than when they began. Death was perplexed, he had seen enemies evolve into stronger forms before, but this was different. It was more like his own true form. A form, he realized, that might be very necessary to bring down the carrot head.

Ichigo vanished, reappearing right beside the reaper who swiped at the air he had momentarily resided in. The black dart blasted back, sweeping around and thrusting the nimble longsword. Death couldn't get either scythe up fast enough, so he lunged back to minimize how far the blade would stab into him. It entered his right bicep, only driving through about an inch of flesh before the pale rider managed to pull that arm away and cartwheel back onto a the wreck of police car.

A bit of dark blood followed the crevices between his muscles. Death gripped the wound, the curved tip of that weapon had torn out a larger amount of meat than he'd expected. Worse, it had almost damaged the mark on his shoulder. He'd make the whelp pay for that one. He jumped from the top of the human vehicle, completely crushing it. Ichigo met him in the air, and Death parried the strike off the shinigami's flash step. Quickly he switched back to his warhammer, still blocking Ichgo's blade with it's huge handle. Death pushed away, using his opponent to do a front flip. The hammer came around with him, gathering force with the purple seal like he had done to destroy the Ice tower. But this time, he was much faster, and the head caught Ichigo's abdomen on the comedown.

The blunt force of the hammer didn't hurt his resilient soul reaper body. But it did send him straight into the road below. His collision looked like a missile hitting the ground, as it literally splintered the pavement and sent an abandoned minivan flying. Ichigo was cursing like a sailor as Death drifted back down to the ground with his hammer over his shoulder.

He clamored back up, shaking the rocks and dust off his coat. He gave the Reaper a disapproving scowl. He really had had enough of his body flying around and destroying infrastructure after his experience in Hueco Mundo.

Death reverted back to his scythes, and began to approach the winded warrior.

_Your turn to knock something down._

Ichigo grinned suddenly, lifting his blade over his shoulder and calling the energized attack; "Getsuga...TENSHOU!"

The wave of energy he released was black as night with a crimson outline. Death rolled sideways to dodge, but the crescent actually followed his evasion. It enveloped the reaper in a explosion of reiatsu and dust, and he hollered madly as the blade struck him. He was thrown from the blast, a trail of smoke following him as he struck the buildings to his right.

He had managed to put up and Aegis Shield upon being struck, but even that power couldn't do much against the enhanced force of Tensa Zangetsu. Death pulled himself from the hole he had been mangled into, numerous cuts across his body. His mood has drastically lowered by the time he had stumbled back to Earth.

"Who'd think I could defeat Death?" Ichigo replied from his new floating position.

"That's idiotic. Why would I succumb to my own element?" Death snarled as he materialized a green vial in his hand. He popped the cork and the fluid seemed to evaporate and encircle him as a mist.

"Now." Death said, shattering the container, "shall I give you a view of the last face you'll ever see?"

He was almost about to release the true form of the Reaper. Almost. A senkeimon opened above the Reaper, standing there with a sleaveless haori was a sight that made Ichigo's heart almost stop.

"Oh no."

"Iiiiiichigo. And this is the Vasto? Yes...there are a lot of good opponents tonight. So, who wants to die first?" The silhouette of 11th company captain Kenpachi Zaraki laughed.


	5. 5-The Rising Tide: Tsunami

Kenpachi Zaraki was one of very few Soul Reapers that could contend with Death's own build. He stood higher than any other captain, and the fear of his anger was only trumped by the fear of his battlefield euphoria. He wielded immeasurable power, and the saying about responsibility never quite got to the captain. You could never consider him an ally, for his goal was to seek only the strongest standing in both the light and dark. Much like the rider below him, he saw killing as an art.

"I had no idea you were inviting more psychopaths to the fight. What was that you were saying about outside interference, well shinigami?"

"Don't look at me. I didn't do this. Believe me, I would **never **do this."

Kenpachi lunged from the light, landing a few meters from death. The two stared at each other, both mentally noting the incredible strength they possessed. Something else those two lacked was an ability to wait more than a few seconds. The Captain attacked with a beastly roar, striking with his large chipped Zanpakuto.

Death dodged like an acrobat, rolling and jumping over the terrain, making sure to also keep an eye on Ichigo, who was also moving around for a better vantage point.

_There's no stopping that man in this state. And to him, I'll just be in the way. Dammit. Let's hope Zaraki get's this finished._

The soul reaper didn't say anything as he flashed-stepped away. Hopefully clogs was still up that late.

"Looks like I scared off the kid, which is too bad. Two opponents are always better than one on one."

Death didn't respond. Something about the man before him was infuriating. Perhaps it reminded him of something, of an old atrocity, in truth, the first atrocity the horsemen had committed. The Nephilim, and there depraved ways. Not many things got to death, but anything that reminded him of the nephilim shared their fate.

"Probably for the best. Children shouldn't have to see this next part."

* * *

The little run down shop sat quietly in the darkness. A light was still on near the register, though Ichigo knew it was likely just Tessai. He had reverted to his standard attire, not wanting to burn energy or cause any problems with the spiritual pressure he released.

He didn't bother to knock on the door, sliding it open and checking who was up. It wasn't actually the burly clerk, but the Ururu the mild mannered attendant girl.

"Good evening Kurosaki-san."

"Oh, hey. Your boss awake?"

She pointed towards the open door to the backroom, "he's with Yourichi now."

Ichigo smiled and gave a small salute to the middle-schooler. He entered through the short doorway, where the atmosphere instantly thickened. The purple haired Yourichi (Ichigo's mentor and ex-captain of the 2nd company) was rubbing her forehead. She was wearing her yellow and black stealth gear, and had appeared to have been out recently, as the legs were covered in dirt and specs of blood. The other individual and store owner Urahara sat silently on a pillow, his striped hat covering his eyes. They both looked up as Ichigo stepped in.

"Ichigo? What are you doing here?" Yourichi asked curiously.

"I'm glad you're here, there's been news from the Soul Society." Urahara began offering Ichigo a seat at his wooden coffee table.

"I'll let you go first then." Ichigo replied, sitting cross-legged.

"The Situation there is bad. Really bad. Hollows are more feral than usual, it's just one attack after another. And the outside districts haven't even been accounted for yet, meaning that the causality number is probably much higher."

Ichigo tensed up at the report. So it really was getting worse.

"I'm assuming it's not much better out there?"

"It's a nightmare. In fact, something happened that I need to tell you."

* * *

Death hadn't let a blow hit him yet, but he had landed numerous cuts on the hulking psychopath ahead. But the attacks power was almost halved on impact. His skin was literally like a metal covering. He had struck with multiple weapons all to the same effect, and Zaraki had actually grabbed his spear with his bare hands, then shattered it with his Nodachi.

The reaper had refrained from using his full form, realizing that such an ability might be a trump card in a later battle. The battle had warded off the low class hollows, but now more powerful hollows with somewhat more ravenous hunger were beginning to investigate the utterly insane souls before them.

"Bastard. You can't run forever!" Kenpachi roared as he slashed across the ground, leaving a deep cut in the asphalt.

"Have you considered that maybe you're just slow?"

Kenpachi sneered, and against expectations, began laughing, "HAH! You know what? You are fun, this is a great time! Why the hell should this end so abruptly, in fact, why don't I make it a little more interesting?"

The Soul Reaper reached over his face and ripped the eyepatch he had been wearing. Lightning like Reiatsu burst from his being, incinerating almost any object near him.

"See, this little thing is designed to keep my energy down, and also keep me partially blinded! Prolongs these fights for me!"

Death connected his two scythes so that it formed an equal weighted boomarang. He spun the massive polearm right at his target, creating an iron disk that slammed into Kenpachi, leaving his bare chest looking like a red cornfield as it returned to it's master's hand, who instantly transformed it to a much bigger two handed scythe, which he needed to deflect the extreme attack the soul reaper then dished out.

The battle looked dangerously close to getting out of hand. And the smallest push could send it over the edge, and into a place everyone would regret.

* * *

"This 'rider', he said he wasn't a hollow?"

"He wasn't a Shinigami? You're sure?" Yourichi asked while sipping a bit of cold tea.

"Yes...he wasn't like anything I'd encountered. He had elements of both, so I thought he could have been a Vizard. But there was still this part I couldn't figure out. It was something much more otherwordly. And there's something else, this...whatever he was, he claimed he was one of the four horsemen. Death."

Yourichi raised an eyebrow as she was unsure what to make of it, but Urahara's eyes went wide.

"Oh no. Oh that's very much not good." The shopkeep said quietly.

"Urahara, do you know something about this?"

"Back in the 12th...back when I was captain...we had a number of hypothesis as to what else existed beyond our dimensions. We knew that there worlds like Hell, and so it stood to reason that there were numerous others. Heavens and Earths and all sorts of other worlds all part of a greater scheme. We consulted lore and occult searching for things that suggested our origin and maybe what connected us. We found something among our studies. In numerous wars, a warrior, a cutthroat, a harbinger, a pale rider had appeared. We also discovered technology much more ancient than the Soul Society itself hidden on earth. Some even reasoned it might be Angelic in nature, and I couldn't disagree."

"Does this mean the rider is here because a great war approaches?" Yourichi asked, that being the first in a long line of questions she had.

"He said he was looking for the leaders of the Soul Reapers."

Urahara made a face as he dug up all his old memories, "assuming we follow traditional human myth, earth is to be a battlefield in the end war, a battle for creation itself. Everything hangs in a balance, it's the reason we had to kill the Quincy. If the balance is in jeopardy, then he could be here to reassert it."

"_To restore the balance. Which means eliminating an excess."_

"Then maybe he's not here for war. Maybe we've been oblivious to our own disharmony."


	6. 6-Testimony to Rapture: Opening Statemen

"Ichigo. Yourichi," Urahara said with a reserved seriousness, "the rider is still out there fighting Zaraki, and that might actually be creating a bigger imbalance. The more we struggle, the more drastic the measures the reaper may take. We must convince them to stop."

"Easier said than done." The stealth-captain sighed.

* * *

Death connected his twin scythes once again, throwing the new weapon around like a baton. Kenpachi put his sword over his shoulder, as a buildup of reiatsu began to take shape above him. The strange yellow tendrils began to amass into a flickering skull.

"Hey, we've got spectators." The monster grinned and his skull grinned with him, reacting to the number of red eyes staring from the shadow of an alleyway.

Death turned and teleported straight into the fray. The glint of his warhammer and the sound of his scythes mixed with a number of shrieks began the countdown of those eyes being wrenched from their sockets. Kenpachi focused his spiritual pressure in the general vicinity of some more curious hollows, letting the menacing dimensional energy tear them apart.

Both dropped their fight momentarily as they took the pleasure of those smaller things in life. Like stomping and crushing lesser prey to a multicolored pulp. Death had not had much time to enjoy his work, and not having to play messenger boy for the moment was a great relief.

Ichigo and Yourichi slowed from shunpo to a safe viewing distance above the mess of Reiatsu below. Both heavily put off the idea of talking to either combatant.

"Ichigo, I'll take Zaraki for obvious reasons."

"Oh, yeah. Good idea."

They nodded, both bursting away at the same time. Ichigo stopped atop a telephone pole, Death was still rooting out a couple hollows in the darkness. A white hollow with long arms tried to flee, but before he could get out of the shadows, Death's hooks snagged it by the foot and dragged in back in. What followed was a cacophony of unpleasant roars, which abruptly stopped in what sounded like a gallows falling. The reaper then emerged, a fragment of the corpse's mask skewered over the scythe.

"You again?" He replied, sheathing his weapons.

"Yo. Seems like you and Zaraki were having a good time."

"That's right...where is that lunatic?"

"Getting a reprimand for this, not that it'll bother him," Ichigo paused as he dropped down to the sidewalk, "Death."

Death took more interest as his actual name was used.

"What is it you actually want here? Is there really an imbalance?"

"As there is light, there is dark. Until that light blinds every corner of the universe, or that dark sucks every last thing into void, there must be a balance. The end war will come, but the outcome of this war could end up hastening it. The souls of this world are not yours alone, and the cycle cannot be blocked."

Ichigo didn't say anything for a while. But instead just stared into the place the stars should have been.

"Does soul society...and hueco mundo...do we play a part in that end war?"

"I'd imagine. Both seem to be quite invested in the Third Kingdom."

"Then it is as clogs said. You're here on a greater mission."

The executioner also looked into the abyss above, narrowing his eyes at the mass of abominations that poured in.

"They've proven to be less amenable to heeding the message. Am I to assume that your people are willing to negotiate?"

"Not quite. However, a certain store owner I know can get you an audience with the powers that be. But we'll have to be quick about it, Zaraki likely won't want to leave an enemy like you."

Death looked back to the teenager, "should you trick me-"

"All he's offering is information, and a path to the Soul Society."

* * *

"_This_ is the magician's home and store?" Death asked, clearly underwhelmed.

"He's big on subtlety." Ichigo replied, opening the door for the massive man.

"Good evening custom..." Ururu began and stopped as Death moved through the door, barely fitting beneath the ceiling.

The reaper looked about observing the lines of meaningless human goods. Truly unimpressive. Upon hearing the visitors enter, Urahara pushed his head through the back door. Had had his stupid smile on his face, but his jaw still dropped a bit upon viewing the massive humanoid.

"I'm not actually sure what I was expecting." The shopkeep muttered as he made himself visible to the warriors.

Death sighed, his expectations for the magician were a bit more noble as well, "You are the sorcerer that this one calls 'clogs'?"

"I am Urahara, a humble merchant and associate of the Soul Reapers." The man said with a clumsy bow.

"You have a passage to the Soul Society? And information pertaining to this sudden influx of the monsters?"

"Straight to business, like most of my clients. Yes, I have both of those things, if you would follow me for a moment."

* * *

The underground training area beneath Urahara's own building truly did make up for the shack topside. It was like an entire desert had been fit into a box beneath, with a very good imitation sky above.

"I must retract my previous misgivings. I find this proof of your capabilities."

The kimono wearing man smiled sheepishly. He was actually quite fascinated by the man in his room, having already asked numerous questions that only received vague answers.

"Now, what can you tell me of the hollows. Why are they being driven to earth?"

Urahara began the process of calibrating the Senkeimon. This time, he intended to get his traveler a bit closer to his destination.

"We're not totally sure. A large number have totally lost any cognitive processes, degenerating into little more than the overwhelming desire to feast. Reports from Soul Society say this is the result of something directly tampering with their minds."

"Such spells are not new, but to affect such a vast population is not heard of outside of perhaps Hell."

"There are people you can ask in the Seretei for better answers. But beware, they may try to dissect you in return."

Ichigo shook his head, "I wish he was kidding about that part."

"The Senkeimon is almost ready. I've been keeping most of this stuff on hand since things had begun getting nasty. Now, you must move fast, Soul Society will need time to work around your recommendations."

"You do realize what will happen if this breaks down correct? I have an option that while frankly I'd rather not use, is the only other choice I can make."

The man jumped back down and continued making a couple calculations for the last coordinates.

"I'm gambling that it doesn't come to that. And we're finished, get moving you two, I can't hold this for very long."

Death and Ichigo both took their place in front of the giant stone slab base, as Urahara began his incantation. A beam of blue light pierced the stone, and suddenly it's solidity began to fade like fog on a window.

"Good luck Reaper. May your brethern understand their plight." Urahara's words were almost lost to the roar of kido, but Death caught them, and gave the strange man a look with one eye.

_There will be no failure._


	7. 7-Testimony to Rapture- Verdict?

_I'm glad this story had kept you enthralled thus far reader, and I would like to thank you all for the reviews and favorites. I've been putting some real effort into pumping out chapters, and I realize now that trying to jam pages in has yielded a few mistakes (and some plain shoddy writing). Reworking will happen at some point in the future, I'll say at about chapter 10 I'll go back through and fix some of the things that stand out._

_I must also confess that I hadn't finished Darksiders 2 until last week, I was very close to the end when I began this story, so now I can finally say that I have a good grasp on all the concepts in Darksiders lore. Corrupted hollows won't be appearing, but more Darksiders aspects will be showing up. Anyway, announcements aside for the moment, here is yet another installment of your irregularly schedules broadcast._

* * *

The blinding lights passed, Death and Ichigo reemerged from the shopkeep's makeshift Senkeimon. The Reaper was slightly disoriented, thinking that he might have been suffering some kind of readjustment sickness. The tunnel about him wasn't an illusion though, with fluffy velvet masses slithering in every direction. The precipice world, a pathway between realities and the only way in for the unsanctioned. Ichigo instinctively checked behind him for the cleaner's cyclopian eye. For once luck was on his side, and he wouldn't be stuck running from the bizzare inter-dimensional street-sweeper that had hastened his entry and exit those first two fateful trips.

Death regained his bearings after a few seconds, observing the strange currents of colloidal material drifting around him.

"About as glamorous as a sewer. " He coughed.

"It's a good walk from here to get out, thankfully due to condensed time currents one hour out there is equivalent to about two thousand here."

"How delightful. Let's move."

The two trudged through the spongy floors in silence, Death had the greatest advantage with his enormous greaves that punched through almost any substance. About a half hour in, Ichigo decided to speak, and maybe kill some of the tension floating around.

"I'm curious. Have you always been Death?" He asked, quickly adding;"I mean, if you don't mind me asking."

Death grumbled for a moment before replying, "no. No, the horsemen, my brothers and sister, we weren't always the four."

"Then you were like us? Were you humans?"

"Ha! Nothing so innocent. My siblings and I are all that remains of the wretched Nephilim."

"Nephilim? Isn't that..."

"Born of the extremes in light and dark, dust of angel, dust of demon. You can imagine what defiant children we were."

Ichigo was tempted to get explanations of what the Angels and Demons really were like, but felt that was a story for another day.

"You're all that's left?"

"Look child, I understand that it's in your nature to question that which is extraterrestrial. But it's best you don't know any more. It's a part of my life I regret more than any other."

Ichigo looked at his feet, the words reminding him of his own attitude. Of when Orihime had been taken by the espada, and how cold he had been to his closest friends. All because of regret and anger.

"Yeah. Only seventeen. Only an adolescent idealist. But it's weird, I do know what you're feeling. Don't think I'm just feigning empathy either Death. Not long ago I wore a mask, a skull mask like a lot like yours. It was created from all my cruelty, all my bloodlust, and it was a struggle each time I donned it. A part of me was corroding my soul."

Death stopped dead in his tracks, a bit of the lumpy current creeping around his boot, which he stomped into mush. But he didn't silence the boy, "continue," in fact was the replied .

"Some of us were outcasts. Shinigami that had a hollow side. Spawned of our ultimate light and dark, like you. We could summon the mask for vast power, all at the price of losing control of our very being. _He _is in me, and I've learned that he will never leave."

The reaper's eyes narrowed, about the only thing that signaled a change in emotion.

"It doesn't take a weak will to fall to that side. The Archons of Heaven, beacons of light, or so they profess, they fall to darkness like any other being can. Should it ever reemerge, make sure that you can quell it's screams. Pillars fall in a line Ichigo, and your world can come crashing down back into the nothingness."

* * *

**Elsewhere...**  
Tier Haribel, queen of Hueco mundo and of the fabled Vasto Lorde class, sat in the throne of Las Noches. It hadn't been long since the first lord was usurped, and even less since the last lord was taken into custody by Soul Society's first company. At last the world was in her hands, and the loyalists beside her followed with unwavering devotion.

She wore what humans would identify as a 'tribal princess', many bands of teeth and flowing robes had been spun around her body in the makeshift coronation. But even in this new garb none could mistake the queen for another, as her mask remained. The terrifying shark mask that covered the bottom of her face like a bandanna.

Many a hollow had made the arduous journey to challenge the new ruler, only to be destroyed mercilessly. This eve seemed to be no exception. In the light (or lack thereof) an intruder moved. How this interloper had made it through the rigorous defenses was unknown. He made not a single sound, not to maintain stealth, but with regard to the solemn atmosphere. Tier's eyes opened slightly as the foreign presence registered.

"Assassination shall not work. Even should I die in sleep by your dagger, you will be instantly destroyed by someone who will fight you head on in battle for the throne."

First came the bloodcurdling laugh, followed by a fiendish voice, "at least you do not overestimate your power. I arrive not to play for the throne, for I realize your faccion would destroy me before I even reached for my blade. I am here to ask an audience, if you could lend me your ear for but a minute!" The being in the shadows grinned wildly. Tier only knew this because an orange glow illuminated that spiked crevice on his mouth.

"What reason should I listen to you?" She replied simply, her bodyguards standing and raising their massive spears in the direction of the thing in the shadows.

"Well, don't be mad, but see, we are at fault for your subjects going insane!"

Tier's expression was shocked beneath the mask, quickly contorting to a grimace.

"You think this mockery will stand? Your next words better be sufficient for me to stay your execution!."

"Hang on now, don't be hasty! I'll give my message and then be gone. Now let me ask you, where do hollows go when they are destroyed? They fall to the black towers of course, even you should know this!"

"What does Hell have to do with this?"

"What DOESN'T it have to do with this? Who do you think is at fault for those rabid hollows? He's the one who had me come here and give you this message."

"Then do so, my patience is waning!"

"His name is Moloch, one of the Destroyer's greatest leaders! He has taken interest in these worlds, seeing them as supplementary to the great war of light and dark! And he wants to know where you will stand Tier Harribel!"


	8. 8-Testimony to Rapture-Sentence

Another quarter hour passed in the Dangai, but eventually the pair of reapers arrived at a thing that closely resembled a glowing door made of strange wispy particles. They simultaneously jumped through the hole out the murky bridge world and into the blinding light of Soul Society. Instead of being deposited in some obscure part of the Rukon districts, Urahara had actually put them within viewing distance of the main gates. An impressive feat considering how incomprehensible plotting interdimensional portals was.

The most pressing concern was a growing crowd of curious onlookers. Their entrance wasn't exactly inconspicuous, and while one soul reaper might not have caused much commotion, a hulking faceless man with purple skin was indeed something gawk at, even in a world where giants and reincarnate dogs walked side by side. Several of the feudal looking peasant kids had to be held back by their parents from going and pestering the two newcomers.

"Probably should have thought this one through." Death muttered.

"It won't be long until news of our arrival hits the Gotei 13." Ichigo frowned.

"Surely you can explain if trouble comes along;"

The strawberry snorted, "their record with alliances is a little shoddy."

As if to cement that fact, several 2nd company stealth corps shinigami materialized on the surrounding rooftops.

_Even for Soul Society that was quick._ Ichigo thought, observing the perimeter of about twenty agents clad in traditional black gear, plus the one gulp-worthy of the group who was making no attempt to blend. 2nd company captain Sui-Feng.

"Ichigo Kurosaki," the captain yelled with her usual authoritarian tone, "we received word from Lieutenant Kuichiki about a possible Vasto Lorde sighting in Karakura town. Prey tell, who is this interloper that you have illegally smuggled into Soul Society?"

"Of course she reported it..." Ichigo sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"You are under arrest! Submit, or we will destroy you!" She continued, pointing at Death.

"Submit? And who are you little girl to command me?" Death roared, leaving the captain's cheeks flushed in anger.

She was very close to coming down herself, when another figure appeared from shunpo beside her. He was nearly double her size in all directions, but somehow he had made it undetected.

"Omeada? What is it?" She snarled, while the second seat cowered.

"W-we just got word from Urahara, that man is...uh...specialist of some kind! The old man is getting the meeting together, and we're going to escort him." He explained, sweating profusely.

"What? They're consulting this ryoka for advice?"

She grumbled, scowling down at Death.

"Looks like you're in luck. We get to take you to meet the captain-commander."

"Regrettable, looks like I won't need to thin your forces after all."

Ichigo could not begin to explain how relieved he was at the crisis aversion. Omeada and a handful of stealth corps came down to meet Death, still extremely wary of the newcomer. The reaper meanwhile said his goodbyes to the carrot-top companion, short lived as their meeting had been.

"Not coming along?"

"Nah, I need to get back and help Rukia with the hollow infestation. But hey, good luck in there."

"To you as well." Death said, doing something of a head bow.

The substitute smirked and flash-stepped away without another word.

"Well, let's get this over with, shall we?"

* * *

The air was thick, humid, and tense with reiatsu. The stares of two rows of six white robed captains, with another crushing gaze from the ancient looking man furthest back, were all directed at the barbarous masked individual who stood arms crossed at the door. He cracked his neck, and took another few steps in, his dramatic foot falls leaving some of the 1st company guards with beads of sweat dripping down their brow.

Finally breaking that silence was a surprisingly calm voice originating below the straw hat of a captain wearing a vibrant floral cape, who's face was entirely partially obscured, "someone care to explain what's going on?"

Kenpachi Zaraki had returned to soul society not long after Death had arrived, and just barely managed to get to the meeting, and he looked like the bloodlust of their battle hadn't faded, "yeah, why is this bastard here? Not that I'm complaining, I can't wait to finish you off!"

The Captain Commander raised and dropped his cane like a courtroom gavel, and everyone was quiet again.

"According to Kisuke Urahara, you go by the name Death. Is that correct?"

"Call me what you will. I have many names." Death replied.

"Then I will move on to the question that I'm sure those of us who read the report have. Do you indeed claim to be the Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse?"

"Yes." He responded plainly.

Silence again, some of the captains, looked between their leader and the man with a bewildered expression.

"This is certainly new..." A calm white haired man said, and Death noted how similar his icy head was to War.

"Preposterous!" Came the voice of a man Death had been very curious about. He had a golden crown-like headgear and a liberal application of face paint applied in white and black bands, "you are saying that you the _grim _reaper? The true reaper of souls? You have nothing to support that. Insanity I say, sheer insanity! I vote that 12th company dissect this hollow since we've never seen a Vasto-"

"For the final time, I am no Hollow." Death snapped.

"For a moment, let's say that you are 'Death'," a blond boy piped up, "seeing as you've been content to let this world's reapers deal with humanity for the past ten millenia, why have you come now?"

"I come on the behest of the charred council, a order of ancients tasked with preserving order in the universe. The third kingdom, that is the earth, is a battleground for Heaven and Hell, and it was selected as the place of the end war. The human world was big enough to also support the Hollow/Shinigami conflict. It's been held in a relatively steady balance for longer than any of you can imagine. However, the recent actions that both sides have taken are dangerously close to upsetting the balance. And should it go over the edge...well, you need only look at that rotting nightmare of the precipice world to know your future, as you will be returned to the most basic elements, and swept away."

"This is indeed a grave consequence Death. However, as Mayuri says, everything you've told us is unsupported. Do you have any evidence?"

"Urahara has already given me evidence of the balance; in this world there were a group of beings called quincy, and they threatened the distribution of souls in this world, and their extermination was needed to restore that equilibrium."

"Drawing comparisons isn't enough. Do you have any absolute proof?"

Death's eyes narrowed and he raised his hand, "let me assure you, I am not asking that you understand. I am telling you to comply, the rules have changed and no longer can tolerate this hollow hunting your agents partake in," he finished by clenching his fist with an audible crack.

Suddenly there was an uproar of younger captains, all very unfamiliar with taking commands from any foreigner. Yammamoto dropped his cane again, invoking silence.

"Rider, I do not doubt that elsewhere you possess authority. But you have come here under the pretense that you hold some sway in our order; you do not! Such an indignant attitude will not get you anything but an execution!"

Death, didn't even wait for him to finish, he dropped both his hands down to his scythes, and swiftly marched down the hall of shocked captains. Several guards barred his way, aiming their spears at him. Before they could even make the generic warning, a blur of sizzling red cleaved apart weapons and the hands that carried them. They slouched the floor, screaming in horror. He refrained from killing them, though in their pain blurred minds it was no mercy. Captains panicked and went for their weapons, but it was far too late. Death was face to face with the strongest man in soul society, blazing eyes locked together.

"You mistake this for a choice. Let me elaborate, your option is only whether I must raze this city before you comply, or you call off this foolishness."

"You dare to speak that way? You insult the thirteen-court guards, and you make an enemy you will regret!" The little girl from earlier yelled, drawing a blade from her horizontal waist-sheath.

Death gave short woman a murderous glare that made the stealth-captain's heart miss a beat, "me alone? You forget, I am but one of four. And we have ridden against heaven, hell, and rendered hundreds more nothing but dust. Should I summon them, we could turn this place into another wasteland."

It didn't look good, half a dozen angry shinigami ready to strike Death down or die trying, and one angry reaper who would gladly grant them the honor of execution in the name of the state. The whole organization and their arrogance made him violently ill.

"Death-San. I don't think any of us want to make enemies with you." The man with the straw hat said raising his hands for his comrades to lower their weapons, "but you must understand our position. We can't abandon our posts, hollow attacks are so frequent that most of the Seretei has been redistributed to the human world and Rukon districts. By retracting we threaten countless lives."

"Those lives are no concern of mine. However...would you be willing to recall the bulk of those forces if they stopped attacking?"

"Well, yes, but that doesn't look to be too likely since we're in the middle of a surge."

Death paused and withdrew his weapons, then turned quickly and made his way back towards the door.

"So be it. Then let it be known, should any soul reaper get in my way, I will destroy them. However, should you be willing to rescind the mass hunting orders, I will destroy the instigator of these attacks. These are my terms, and your wisdom old one should lead you to realize it is a good offer."

* * *

_Boom! And at last I've finished this chapter, and bloody hell have I been excited to write it. Well, write and rewrite, a large chunk got chopped out because I felt Death was a little too aggressive. But yeah, done and done.  
I've responded to all the reviews, and got a couple ideas and tips that might come into play later.  
As for Moloch, well, cannon Darksiders demons seemed unable to satisfy what was necessary for this, so yeah, audience Moloch, Moloch audience.  
I'm kinda sad that we won't get to see soul society set ablaze. May need to make another fic for Death's cleansing of the false reapers.  
Edit: __Grammatical errors rectified, generally made better. Have a nice day._


	9. 9-The end is near?

Yammamoto was about to protest, when suddenly the paper doors on his left slid away revealing a masked messenger boy.

"Many pardons my distinguished captains, but there is an emergency. Word has just come through that a group of Menos class hollows and Adjuchas class overseers have breached the Northmost gate."

"Impossible," Sui-Feng mouthed.  
Death stopped for a second as if to think, then continued on past the others.

"Dispatch 10th division, they're closest to that gate!" A boy with icy complexion and matching hair said, drawing his Zanpakto and running past Death.

"It's past time for me to get a few answers myself." The reaper muttered, mentally summoning Despair much to the horror of everyone around him.

The horse seemed to snarl as it lunged from the floor and trotted to Death's side, a number of concerned shrieks erupting as it's glazed eyes stared into their very souls. Mayuri was of course teetering on ecstasy when the creature emerged.  
"A HUSK OF ANIMATED DECAYING FLESH SUMMONED FROM NOTHING? I MUST HAVE ONE!"

"Come on, we've no time to waste!" Death roared, ignoring the scientist's outcry.

He mounted the creature, ducking as it sped out the doors and into the waning evening sun. In the distance he could see the hoard moving slowly through the barracks, blistering energy beams slicing apart the infrastructure. Death could plainly see that there was something wrong with these Gillians; their movement was too mechanical, as if the black lumbering animals were skinned and strung up like marionettes. Such witchcraft was not easy or common. Death didn't dwell on it, as he would have the sorcerer's explanation in it's dying breaths.

* * *

Harribel sat with her hand over her forehead, and the most emotionless expression one could ever make.

"_Oh quite quite, I'm sure that heaven will make you an offer, if they don't obliterate you in the name of purity. I don't want to rush your decision, not at all. But watch how the next few days play out, and you'll see who the victors of the end war shall be. Now if you'd pardon me, I must be off to pay a visit to Soul Society. Oh, and I'll be borrowing a few of your menos for good measure."_

She recalled the words with utter fury, clenching the armrests of her throne until the sandstone shattered.

"Bastard!"

"My queen?" Came the quiet voice of a very Amazoninan looking Arrancar.

"It's nothing," she replied leaning back with a groan.

This had been so sudden; Armageddon was on the horizon, and it's blaze would erupt through every other world. Hell wanted to annex Hueco Mundo in preparation, and would guarantee some safety in exchange for cooperation.

_'what to do, what to do. Truly this is madness, why now do these realms make contact, why now do they bring the message of war? My options here...are limited to say the least.'_

* * *

Despair maneuvered up the tiled rooftops while Soul Reapers charged forth in the streets below. Death noticed the little boy from the meeting was producing whips of ice from his Zanpakto, and was dueling a couple of adjuchas. The nearest rampaging Gillian was the executioner's target, and a reserve of wrath meant he could make the kill a masterpiece. He hopped up on the horse's back and threw aside the reigns, as it knew what to do from there. It accelerated, jumping from building to building until it was basically at a speed that looked like hovering. The Gillian was turned away, and didn't have time to refocus on Death before the reaper lunged from his mount and dove both his blades into the monster's curtain-like body, and begun to climb. His enormous boots shredded the creature's normally hard skin, while his talons hooked in and worked like ice picks. This came from immense experience with scaling normally unclimbable surfaces, mostly biological in nature.

The creature twisted and mangled it's head around, trying to bite the stinging insect that was quickly rising to the vulnerable mask. It didn't succeed in anything but making Death holler "hold still now," in a dread inspiring voice as he kicked off and latched onto the hollow's eyes. He raised his right scythe, wrath rushing through as a corona of indestructible magic enveloped his weaponry, and proceeded bash it's face repeatedly until it shattered with the rest of the hollow in a web of cracks.

Another Gillian took aim at the humanoid who was now momentarily floating in mid-air, firing a small but potent cero, which Death narrowly avoided with a roll sideways, followed by his signature teleporting slash which flung him right through the area that could be called the hollow's neck and out the other side. He connected his blades again, and flung the wheel of death back across that same area, effectively beheading his attacker.

Two dead gillians did catch someone's attention. Guarded in the middle by three powerful ajunchas traitors sat a the same messenger from Hueco Mundo. His appearance was that of a skinny blue goblin with pupiless red eyes and long pierced ears wearing a tattered robe covered in arcane markings. His normal sneer was now something of a grimace, as he watched the purple glow fall back to the ground.

"A Horseman? Now, here, WHY? Moloch said nothing of the council's blasted interference!" The creature grabbed it's two short horns and shook his head wildly.

The trot of the pale horse resumed, and was getting ever closer.

"Damn, damn, damn you all! You, hollows, deal with him."

There was some hesitation among the group of faccion soldiers. The goblin growled and rose his hand to reveal a glowing marking of the beast.

"Persuasion is something I'm good at." He threatened while lightly pushing against their subconscious with his psychic abillities.

"Gladly sir!" They hissed unanimously, readying to attack the coming scourge with artificial enthusiasm.

Death indeed came, and he moved fast, striking down hollow after hollow with his poll-scythe. Despair mulched and trampled the wounded under it's mighty hooves. When he saw the demon behind a group of nearly identical guards(all looking like vaguely human cacti with elongated white thorns and differing theatrical masks), he slowed to a stop and leisurely dismounted.

"As I thought. Hell is at the bottom of this mess." Death spat, pointing a scythe at the creatures.

"Reaper, oh dear Reaper, what could you want here?"

"Are you really that stupid? I'm here because the end hasn't arrived, yet you are making a power grab. Violations of this sort generally end with the perpetrators' souls less than intact."

"Oh how terrifying my dear executioner, but see, your mask is going in Moloch's trophy room. You may be powerful, but my masterpieces are ex-espada, the top of the hollow foodchain and can compete with captains."

"You'd better hope you can beat me, because even if you survive, you've been stupid enough to reveal your master's name. And Knowing Moloch, he won't be happy about that."


	10. 10-Reaper's Reveal

The strange spiked hollows snarled as they flashed back around Death and swung their appendages around in an attempt to cage him. Death leaned back to dodge one of the spinning clubs, then cartwheeled through the only large gap between the barbs. He spun on his heel and bit back with his scythes, cutting into the limb of the one of them that's mask had a bewildered expression.

Another with a look of ecstatic glee on it's face punched towards death with untraceable speed. He landed a good blow, spikes skewering Death's form. He grunted as the barbs, likely coated with some deadly toxin, burned in his chest. But he quickly regained his vigor, accompanied by a new wild look in his eyes.

"Not bad. But certainly not good enough." The last part punctuated by the sound of flesh and bone bursting as Death's fist returned to favor, hitting with enough force to sever the imposing limb.

The third of the twins, who wore a stoic expression with sideways crescents for eyes took the next strike, raising it's limb, compressing gaseous poison within until the barbs on it's chest shot out in a deadly hail. Death managed to evade the directed attack, but was then clubbed by the sad-faced, whacked right head, and sending him to the ground.

The reaper was winded, but instinct allowed him to roll out of the way before any other attacks reached him. He bounded away, quickly recovering from the strikes. Something was indeed limiting his reaction time. Then he began to smell it, the air was stale and reeked of rotting flesh. It was the creatures, the wounds he inflicted were exuding something into the air. Even his extremely strengthened respiratory system was having trouble dealing with this much toxin in the air. But maybe it could turned to his advantage, he suddenly switched to his massive fire-hammer. Normally it only released embers, but now, it was burning like a raging torch.

"I'm curious, how flammable is this caustic mist?" The Reaper asked malevolently, throwing the glowing hammer like a javelin.

The massive projectile flew like a bullet, fire building as the concentration of the mist got thicker the closer it came to the source. In the split second those hollows saw the radiant flames shooting towards them, regardless of what their masks showed, they felt utter terror. The hammer stuck the emotionless-faced and the result looked like a large bomb had been dropped in the area. The cloud of gas turned to an inferno that masked the screams of all that it caught. The fire burned for almost half a minute before the last bits of fuel dissipated, revealing three wiggling pieces of charred meat.

Through the burned eye holes of their masks, they watched as something glided above them. It was hooded giant, carrying a massive scythe that's blade was melded with numerous skulls. It's body was skeletal, and it's face(if it had one) was hidden in the void of his shroud. And the one word that came to every mind, demon, soul reaper, and hollow, was;  
"reaper..."

Death descended driving his scythe through the Stoic-Faced, cleanly splitting it's head at eye level.

"See no evil."

He rose his scythe again and swung it to release a spinning blade of purple energy, the screams of a billion dead souls filling the Bewildered-Faced's ears.

"Hear no evil."

Lastly he flew to the Excited-Faced, who stared up with dread as the great claw of the kinslayer wrenched the top of it's skull from the bottom of the jaw.

"Speak no Evil."  
And the three puppets of the messenger faded into black particles, while their leader stared bugeyed.

"And now," Death laughed, embedding his scythe mere centimeters from the messenger's trembling body, "I can have some answers."

"Fool! It matters not what happens to me! Moloch will accelerate his plans now, he will unleash waves of plague and destruction upon the third-kingdom! You should have let this realm fall!"

"Moloch. Is. WHERE?"

"Ha! He will embark to Hueco Mundo in but a day's time! Your end is near reaper! Your end is-"

The messenger, quite literally, fell apart shrieking. Death flicked the blood from his claws and then returned to his normal form in a swirl of wrath.

"Accelerate his plan? Good, I hate to be kept waiting."

* * *

Short? Yes. Tired? Yes. I've been updating like crazy. I really want to finish this story. Reviews! Reviews reviews, they are motivating, they are fuel. Leave one should you have any comment.  
These hollows seem to be a bit like Luppi now that I reread. Maybe they were his faccion, or magically inherited some of his power.


	11. 11-When in Rome, Slaughter Ceaser

For the two-hundred and forty-three soul reapers who were dispatched against the hollow invasion, there was no doubt that the Horseman that stood before them lived up to his claims. Death stood in a field of carrion, Scythe over his shoulder, weary from the great harvest, and ready to choose the next crop.

"Monster." Toshiro Hitsugaya murmured, as he and his Lieutenant floated high above to observe the damage this latest incursion had caused.

"Captain...what is he?" The orange haired woman in 2nd seat, asked, staring at the blood stained killer.

The boy did not know how to expand beyond his first description. What stood before him was no Shinigami, no classic god of death. He was not a soul reaper, but the _re__aper of souls_.

"Can we really allow such a thing to live?" Toshiro was almost surprised that those words came out of his mouth.

The sound of footsteps broke the ice warrior's focus. Captain Shunsui looked over the carnage and sighed. He had seen the whole event transpire, and shaken as he was, the air about him was collected. The same could not be said for the two other captains who had seen that power.

"I don't think we have a choice." He replied.

The two men watched Death as he continued to face the falling sun like a statue, and the mysterious shadow he left stretched into the darkness like an creature in and of itself. The path this kinslayer had plot lead him into a conspiracy that entangled three universes. Treading lightly would be impossible, he had already left ripples within Soul Society, and he would have to the same in Hueco Mundo. This assignment was turning into something worse than event the council imagined.

Toshiro saw a glimmering white kimono break the nightmarish black of Death's shadow. Only one person had the fearlessness and arrogance to dare stand alone in the face of practically unstoppable enemies.

"Kuchiki?"

Below, the black haired captain moved forth, contempt showing through his blistering spiritual pressure. Death payed no attention to the encroaching captain, expecting his better judgement to kick in at some point. But the lawbringer was intent on dueling him, if not for the sake of protecting the Soul Society, then for it's tarnished honour.

"Even if Shunsui thinks you should be permitted to go about your business, I cannot let you leave." The captain announced, unsheathing his sword.

Death laughed, bemused by the stern voice still laced with childish naivety ,"You would challenge me even while the ground beneath your feet is littered in the flesh of the fallen?"

"Your lack of respect for the Gotei 13 and it's rules would have me fight you atop a mountain of your victims!"

"Killing you would be a pleasure. I always found zealots a particular nuisance."

"There will be order in your execution. Scatter! Senbonzakura"

"And disgrace in your failure. You've thirteen captains, one less should even things out." Death, twirling his scythe at the last second, and cleaving apart the amorphous mass of pink blades that erupted from the hilt of Byakuya's released Zanpakto.

The petal shaped metal shards numbered well into the ten-thousands, amassing into a large serpentine stream the size of a small building. It snaked around, attempting to grab the Reaper who's acrobatics once again gave him an edge. He weaved between the tendrils as they snapped down on where he once stood. Try as he may, Byakuya's attacks could not even come close to hitting. Although Death was able to evade the generally unstoppable shikai (at least for the moment), their battle had become a stalemate. The blades still acted as a protective cocoon for their controller, and Death had no opening large enough between to strike.

But that didn't mean that the captain was invulnerable. Even without flash-step, Death had strategy and superior intellect working for him. Plus, he really knew how to get under someone's skin.

"Come on! The potential of this weapon is squandered upon someone who cannot wield it to any effect!"

Byakuya was surprised to find himself clenching his fist. Quickly he quelled the anger and responded with a reprisal of his own.

"Insulting your opponent? For someone so ancient, you've learned no manners."

Death suddenly jumped back to get a bit of distance for his next trick.

"Come prove me wrong then!"

While normally one would be wary of any hostile inviting an attack, Byakuya was not in the mind to consider the consequences of his next action. The corona of guarding petals joined their clones in an effort to blanket as much area as possible, at least to slow the currently static horseman. But hadn't considered that Death had a myriad of abilities still unused. For example, although his reserves were relatively drained, he summoned up all the remaining wrath to encase his body in a protective film. When the wave of blades washed across him, he punched right through it with with his own blades held high.

Byakuya quickly realized the error he had made on the one-off attack, immediately recalling the blades. A cross of jagged magenta jumped back, barring the Reaper. But as with abilities, Death also had a weapon for every occasion. He switched his scythes to a pair of large bladed tonfas with corresponding metal gloves. The weapons made whistling sounds as they sliced apart the reforming defensive measures, then finished by firing two arcs of yellow kinetic energy that had built up in the attack. This attack dispelled what little comprised the captain's perimeter into the air.

Byakuya had a look of shock as Death sailed in for the strike. He punched, and the soul reaper leaned to dodge, but the strike had been a faux attack. The second tonfa caught him square in the chest, ripping through his clothing and cleaving through his body. Blood washed over the reaper, coating his waist armor in fresh scarlet.

For a followup, Death kicked his knee up into his opponent's gut and snagged him up into the air, then followed with another roundhouse right in the side, sending him flying. But Byakuya's concentration wasn't lost even in the immense agony of each super-human strike, directing a cloud of his blades to the Reaper's back while still airborne. The reaper wasn't fast enough to react, and the sound of flesh rending overtook him. The petals stabbed all the way through and blasted out the opposite side, leaving a gaping hole in his mangled purple skin.

Byakuya breathed raggedly as he lay in a puddle of his own life fluids. But he was confident that squad four couldn't even heal that one. However, Death remained standing, hunched as if about to collapse, but still very much in control of his body. His wound beginning to glow faintly in the darkness, entering the process of regeneration.

"Agh! Yes, I'd say your caliber would rival Strife's handguns AHAHA! However, do not pretend to be capable of defeating me in at this level.

"Very...well. You'll regret this soon enough." Byakuya clamored up as well, his blade reforming into a standard unreleased katana. Quite ordinary, except for the fact that it has a bright pink hue; "BANKAI!"

He released the sword blade first, letting it embed into the ground. The stone streets trembled as enormous energy swords began to rise into the newly night skies around him, creating a long hall of blades like an antique weapon collection. It was a spectacle for sure, but would it live up to it's hype was what Death wondered. In seconds the swords had assembled into massive rings around the battlefield, circling them like clockwork.

"I'll not waste a single second more, we finish this now!"

"_**So be it.**_"

* * *

**So? What do you guys think, I purposely cut it here to get some input. Should canon get fired out a cannon with Death actually striking out a main character? Does the balance take precedent? Or will Death spare the Captain before him?  
Thank you reviewers! This chapter has taken your suggestions into account, making the fight scene much more interesting in my opinion. Of course, I do enjoy any comments you have, so please feel free to leave a review.  
Until next time, PEACE!**


End file.
